Measurement apparatus, measurement system, substrate processing apparatus, and measurement method

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to shorten the measurement time. The measuring device of the present invention includes an input section, a measuring section, and an output section. The input section receives a signal corresponding to the state of the object being measured. The measuring section measures the state of the object being measured based on the signal input to the input section. After measurement, the measuring section generates a switching indication signal, which is a signal indicating the switching of a multiplexer that selectively outputs signals. The output section outputs the switching indication signal generated by the measuring section.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a measuring device, a measuring system, a substrate processing device, and a measuring method. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which a multiplexer selects one of multiple input data, sequentially outputs the input data to a measurement module, and measures the input data input to the measurement module, thereby collecting data from multiple channels. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-217483 [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0005] This invention provides a technique for shortening measurement time. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the measuring device of the present invention includes an input section, a measuring section, and an output section. The input section receives a signal corresponding to the state of the object being measured. The measuring section measures the state of the object being measured from the input signal. After measurement, the measuring section generates a switching indication signal that indicates the switching of a multiplexer to selectively output a signal. The output section outputs the switching indication signal generated by the measuring section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the measurement time can be shortened.

Implementation Method

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the measuring apparatus, measuring system, substrate processing apparatus, and measuring method disclosed in this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the disclosed measuring apparatus, measuring system, substrate processing apparatus, and measuring method are not limited to these embodiments.

[0010] Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, the controller, whose internal memory contains a switching operation mode, outputs a switching instruction to the multiplexer based on the switching operation mode. The multiplexer selects one of multiple input data based on the switching instruction and outputs the input data to the measurement module. In this case, the controller must have sufficient margin to output the switching instruction to the multiplexer for the period during which the input data is measured using the measurement module. Therefore, the switching operation mode has sufficient margin to determine the switching timing. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the measurement time becomes longer. Especially when measuring multiple input data, the increased margin leads to a longer measurement time.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for technologies that can shorten measurement time.

[0012] [Embodiment] [Apparatus Configuration] An example of the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, an example will be described where the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention is configured as a plasma processing system. In this embodiment, an example will be described where the temperature of a measurement object, which is the state of the measurement object, is measured. FIG1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the plasma processing system of the embodiment.

[0013] Hereinafter, an example of the configuration of the plasma processing system will be described. The plasma processing system includes a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 and a control unit 2. The capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a plasma processing chamber 10, a gas supply unit 20, a power supply 30, and an exhaust system 40. Furthermore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a substrate support unit 11 and a gas introduction unit. The gas introduction unit is configured to introduce at least one type of processing gas into the plasma processing chamber 10. The gas introduction unit includes a cluster nozzle 13. The substrate support unit 11 is disposed within the plasma processing chamber 10. The cluster nozzle 13 is disposed above the substrate support unit 11. In one embodiment, the cluster nozzle 13 constitutes at least a portion of the ceiling of the plasma processing chamber 10. The plasma processing chamber 10 has a plasma processing space 10s defined by the cluster nozzle 13, the sidewall 10a of the plasma processing chamber 10, and the substrate support unit 11. The plasma processing chamber 10 has at least one gas supply port for supplying at least one type of processing gas to the plasma processing space 10s, and at least one gas outlet for discharging gas from the plasma processing space. The sidewall 10a is grounded. The cluster head 13 and the substrate support portion 11 are electrically insulated from the housing of the plasma processing chamber 10.

[0014] The substrate support portion 11 includes a body portion 111 and a ring assembly 112. The body portion 111 has a central region (substrate support surface) 111a for supporting a substrate (wafer) W, and an annular region (ring support surface) 111b for supporting the ring assembly 112. The annular region 111b of the body portion 111 surrounds the central region 111a of the body portion 111 when viewed from above. The substrate W is disposed on the central region 111a of the body portion 111, and the ring assembly 112 is disposed on the annular region 111b of the body portion 111 in such a way that it surrounds the substrate W on the central region 111a of the body portion 111. In one embodiment, the body portion 111 includes a base and an electrostatic chuck. The base includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the base functions as a lower electrode. The electrostatic chuck is disposed on the base. The upper surface of the electrostatic chuck has the substrate support surface 111a. The ring assembly 112 includes one or more annular members. At least one of the annular members is an edge ring. Also, although not shown in the figures, the substrate support portion 11 may also include a temperature control module configured to adjust at least one of the electrostatic chuck, ring assembly 112, and substrate to a target temperature. The temperature control module may also include a heater, a heat transfer medium, a flow path, or a combination thereof. A heat transfer fluid such as brine or gas flows through the flow path. Furthermore, the substrate support portion 11 may also include a heat transfer gas supply portion configured to supply heat transfer gas between the back surface of the substrate W and the substrate support surface 111a.

[0015] Furthermore, the substrate support portion 11 can measure the temperature of the substrate support surface 111a. For example, the substrate support portion 11 is provided with a plurality of sensor portions 113 at various locations on the substrate support surface 111a that are the objects of temperature measurement. A measurement system 130 is provided in the plasma processing apparatus 1. Each sensor portion 113 is connected to the measurement system 130 via an optical fiber 114. The measurement system 130 measures the temperature of the substrate support surface 111a using each sensor portion 113 and outputs the measured temperature data to the control portion 2.

[0016] The cluster nozzle 13 is configured to introduce at least one type of processing gas from the gas supply unit 20 into the plasma processing space 10s. The cluster nozzle 13 has at least one gas supply port 13a, at least one gas diffusion chamber 13b, and a plurality of gas inlets 13c. The processing gas supplied to the gas supply port 13a is introduced into the plasma processing space 10s through the gas diffusion chamber 13b and the plurality of gas inlets 13c. Furthermore, the cluster nozzle 13 includes a conductive member. The conductive member of the cluster nozzle 13 functions as an upper electrode. In addition to the cluster nozzle 13, the gas inlet unit may also include one or more side gas injectors (SGIs), which are installed in one or more openings formed in the sidewall 10a.

[0017] The gas supply unit 20 may also include at least one gas source 21 and at least one flow controller 22. In one embodiment, the gas supply unit 20 is configured to supply at least one type of processing gas from corresponding gas sources 21 to the nozzle 13 via corresponding flow controllers 22. Each flow controller 22 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Furthermore, the gas supply unit 20 may also include one or more flow modulation devices for modulating or pulsed flow of at least one type of processing gas.

[0018] The power supply 30 includes an RF (Radio Frequency) power supply 31 coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10 via at least one impedance matching circuit. The RF power supply 31 is configured to supply at least one RF signal (RF power), such as a source RF signal and a bias RF signal, to the conductive members of the substrate support portion 11 and / or the conductive members of the cluster head 13. Thereby, plasma is formed from at least one type of processing gas supplied to the plasma processing space 10s. Therefore, the RF power supply 31 can function as at least a part of a plasma generation unit in which plasma is generated from one or more types of processing gases in the plasma processing chamber 10. Furthermore, by supplying a bias RF signal to the conductive members of the substrate support portion 11, a bias potential can be generated on the substrate W, thereby feeding the ionic components in the formed plasma into the substrate W.

[0019] In one embodiment, the RF power supply 31 includes a first RF generating unit 31a and a second RF generating unit 31b. The first RF generating unit 31a is configured to couple with a conductive member of the substrate support 11 and / or a conductive member of the cluster head 13 via at least one impedance matching circuit to generate a source RF signal (source RF power) for plasma generation. In one embodiment, the source RF signal has a frequency in the range of 13 MHz to 150 MHz. In one embodiment, the first RF generating unit 31a may also be configured to generate a plurality of source RF signals with different frequencies. The generated one or more source RF signals are supplied to the conductive member of the substrate support 11 and / or the conductive member of the cluster head 13. The second RF generating unit 31b is configured to couple with a conductive member of the substrate support 11 via at least one impedance matching circuit to generate a bias RF signal (bias RF power). In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a lower frequency than the source RF signal. In one embodiment, the bias RF signal has a frequency in the range of 400 kHz to 13.56 MHz. In another embodiment, the second RF generation unit 31b may also be configured to generate a plurality of bias RF signals with different frequencies. One or more bias RF signals generated are supplied to the conductive members of the substrate support unit 11. Furthermore, in various embodiments, at least one of the source RF signal and the bias RF signal may be pulsed.

[0020] Furthermore, the power supply 30 may also include a DC (Direct Current) power supply 32 coupled to the plasma processing chamber 10. The DC power supply 32 includes a first DC generating unit 32a and a second DC generating unit 32b. In one embodiment, the first DC generating unit 32a is configured as a conductive member connected to the substrate support 11 to generate a first DC signal. The generated first bias DC signal is applied to the conductive member of the substrate support 11. In one embodiment, the first DC signal may also be applied to other electrodes, such as electrodes within an electrostatic chuck. In one embodiment, the second DC generating unit 32b is configured as a conductive member connected to the cluster head 13 to generate a second DC signal. The generated second DC signal is applied to the conductive member of the cluster head 13. In various embodiments, at least one of the first and second DC signals may also be pulsed. Furthermore, the first and second DC generating units 32a and 32b can be provided based on the RF power supply 31, or the first DC generating unit 32a can be provided instead of the second RF generating unit 31b.

[0021] The exhaust system 40 may be connected to, for example, a gas outlet 10e located at the bottom of the plasma processing chamber 10. The exhaust system 40 may also include a pressure regulating valve and a vacuum pump. The pressure within the plasma processing space 10s is adjusted by the pressure regulating valve. The vacuum pump may also include a turbomolecular pump, a dry pump, or a combination thereof.

[0022] The control unit 2 processes computer-executable commands that cause the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. The control unit 2 may be configured to control the various elements of the plasma processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. In one embodiment, part or all of the control unit 2 may be included in the plasma processing apparatus 1. The control unit 2 may include, for example, a computer 2a. The computer 2a may also include, for example, a processing unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit) 2a1, a memory unit 2a2, and a communication interface 2a3. The processing unit 2a1 may be configured to perform various control actions based on the programs stored in the memory unit 2a2. The memory unit 2a2 may include RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof. The communication interface 2a3 can communicate with the plasma processing device 1 via a communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0023] Next, the configuration of the substrate support portion 11 in the embodiment will be described. FIG2 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the substrate support portion 11 in the embodiment.

[0024] The substrate support portion 11 is configured to support the substrate W. For example, the body portion 111 of the substrate support portion 11 is provided with an electrostatic chuck 121 on the base 120. The electrostatic chuck 121 is attached to the base 120 by an adhesive. The upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 121 serves as a substrate support surface 111a for supporting the substrate W.

[0025] The base 120 includes conductive components. For example, the base 120 is formed of a conductive metal such as aluminum. A flow path 111c for the flow of heat transfer fluid is formed in the interior of the base 120 below the substrate support surface 111a.

[0026] The electrostatic chuck 121 has, for example, an insulating layer such as ceramic and a film electrode disposed within the insulating layer. The electrostatic chuck 121 attracts and holds the substrate W by applying a DC voltage from a power source (not shown) to the electrodes disposed inside, thereby generating electrostatic attraction.

[0027] The main body 111 is provided with sensor units 113 at a plurality of positions on the substrate support surface 111a that are the objects of temperature measurement. For example, the base 120 is provided with sensor units 113 in holes formed at a plurality of positions on the substrate support surface 111a that are the objects of temperature measurement. Each sensor unit 113 is connected to the measurement system 130 via an optical fiber 114. Furthermore, the sensor unit 113 may also have a hole formed on the electrostatic chuck 121 so that its upper end is exposed to the substrate support surface 111a, or it may be configured so that its upper end is not exposed to the substrate support 11 and is located at a position at a specific thickness from the substrate support 11.

[0028] Next, the configuration for measuring the temperature of the substrate support surface 111a of the substrate support portion 11 in the embodiment will be described. FIG3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration for measuring the temperature of the substrate support surface 111a in the embodiment. FIG3 shows a top view of the substrate support surface 111a on which the substrate W is placed in the substrate support portion 11.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the substrate support surface 111a is a roughly circular area when viewed from above. The diameter of the substrate support surface 111a is approximately the same as, or slightly smaller than, the diameter of the substrate W.

[0030] The substrate support portion 11 can perform temperature control on each region 115 obtained by dividing the substrate support surface 111a. For example, the substrate support surface 111a is divided into a plurality of regions 115, and a heater is provided in each region 115. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG3, the substrate support surface 111a is divided into a central circular region 115a and arc-shaped regions 115b formed by dividing a plurality of concentric annular regions surrounding the circular region 115a along the circumferential direction. Heaters are provided in the circular region 115a and the arc-shaped regions 115b of the substrate support surface 111a, and the temperature of each region 115 can be controlled separately. Furthermore, the method of dividing the region 115 shown in FIG3 is an example and is not limited thereto. The substrate support surface 111a may also be divided into more regions 115. For example, the substrate support surface 111a can be divided into arc-shaped regions 115b by making the angle smaller and the radial width narrower closer to the outer periphery. Each heater is individually connected to a heater power supply (not shown). The heater power supply provides individually adjusted power to each heater based on the control of the control unit 2. This allows for individual control of the heat emitted by each heater and individual adjustment of the temperature of multiple regions 115 within the substrate support surface 111a.

[0031] Furthermore, the substrate support portion 11 can measure the temperature of each region 115 of the substrate support surface 111a. For example, the substrate support portion 11 is provided with a sensor portion 113 in the circular region 115a and the arc-shaped region 115b respectively, and can measure the temperature of each region 115a and 115b respectively.

[0032] FIG4A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the sensor unit 113 according to the embodiment. The sensor unit 113 is provided with a phosphor 113a. An optical fiber 114 is connected to the sensor unit 113. FIG4A shows the case where the sensor unit 113 and the optical fiber 114 are integrally formed. The phosphor 113a is provided at the head end of the optical fiber 114. The phosphor 113a is fixed to the object to be measured for temperature measurement. In this embodiment, the phosphor 113a is fixed to the position of the object to be measured on the lower surface of the electrostatic chuck 121. Furthermore, in FIG4A, the phosphor 113a is integrally provided at the head end of the optical fiber 114 as the sensor unit 113. However, it is not limited to this. FIG4B is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the sensor unit 113 according to the embodiment. FIG4B shows the case where the sensor unit 113 and the optical fiber 114 are separately formed. The sensor unit 113 is provided with a phosphor 113a. The sensor unit 113 is fixed to the lower surface of the electrostatic chuck 121 at the position where the temperature is measured. An optical fiber 114 is connected to the sensor unit 113. Furthermore, a small gap may be provided between the sensor unit 113 and the optical fiber 114.

[0033] The light emitted by the phosphor 113a is incident on the optical fiber 114 and transmitted. Also, the light transmitted in the optical fiber 114 is incident on the phosphor 113a.

[0034] Returning to Figure 3. The measurement system 130 includes a multiplexer 131, a converter 132, a switching controller 133, and a temperature controller 134. Furthermore, the converter 132, the switching controller 133, and the temperature controller 134 can be configured as different devices, or any two or all of them can be configured as a single device. For example, the converter 132 can be configured as a single device, and the switching controller 133 and the temperature controller 134 can be configured as a single controller. In this embodiment, the converter 132 corresponds to the measurement device of the present invention.

[0035] The multiplexer 131 is a device capable of selectively switching the output light from multiple input light sources. The multiplexer 131 is connected to optical fibers 114 that are connected to each sensor unit 113. Furthermore, the multiplexer 131 is connected to the converter 132 via optical fiber 135. Light from the phosphors 113a of each sensor unit 113 is transmitted to the multiplexer 131 via each optical fiber 114. The multiplexer 131 selectively outputs the light transmitted from each optical fiber 114 to the optical fiber 135. Furthermore, the multiplexer 131 can selectively switch the optical fiber 114 that outputs light to the optical fiber 135 according to a switching signal input from the self-switching controller 133.

[0036] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example of the functional configuration of the multiplexer 131 according to the embodiment. The multiplexer 131 is provided with a plurality of first ports 131a, and each optical fiber 114 is connected to a first port 131a. The first ports 131a are assigned port numbers with consecutive values. The multiplexer 131 is also provided with a second port 131b, and an optical fiber 135 is connected to the second port 131b. The multiplexer 131 includes the port number as the output target in the switching signal input from the switching controller 133. The multiplexer 131 can switch the transmission path of the internal transmission light. According to the switching instruction, the multiplexer 131 switches the transmission path in such a way that the transmission light is transmitted from the first port 131a and the second port 131b with the port number included in the switching instruction. In this way, the multiplexer 131 can transmit optical signals between the optical fiber 114 connected to port 131a and the optical fiber 135 connected to port 21b.

[0037] Returning to Figure 3. The converter 132 measures temperature based on light transmitted along the optical fiber 135. Figure 3 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the converter 132 according to the embodiment. The converter 132 is provided with a port 132a, to which the optical fiber 135 is connected. Light transmitted along the optical fiber 135 is input to port 132a. The converter 132 is also provided with ports 132b and 132c. Port 132b is connected to the switching controller 133 via wiring 136. Port 132c is connected to the temperature controller 134 via wiring 137. In the embodiment, port 132a corresponds to the input section of the present invention. Port 132b corresponds to the output section of the present invention. Port 132c corresponds to the data output section of the present invention.

[0038] The converter 132 has a measurement unit 132d. The measurement unit 132d can be configured by combining multiple devices such as a microcomputer or a light receiving element, or it can be physically configured as a single device.

[0039] Port 132a provides an input signal corresponding to the state of the object being measured. Measurement unit 132d measures the state of the object being measured based on the signal input to port 132a. In this embodiment, light emitted from the phosphor 113a of sensor unit 113 is input to port 132a via optical fibers 114 and 135. Measurement unit 132d directs the light input to port 132a onto a light-receiving element. Measurement unit 132d measures the temperature based on the light incident on the light-receiving element. For example, measurement unit 132d may have a light source such as an LED. Measurement unit 132d may guide the light from the light source onto the light path incident on the light-receiving element using optical elements such as a beam splitter. When measuring temperature, measurement unit 132d illuminates the light source and directs the light onto phosphor 113a via optical fibers 114 and 135. When phosphor 113a is illuminated, electrons are excited from the valence band to the conductor. Although the excited electrons temporarily retain position energy, they immediately release that energy and return to the valence band, releasing a portion of it as light. This released light is called fluorescence. The duration of fluorescence decay in phosphor 113a varies with temperature. Measurement unit 132d measures the temperature by measuring the time from when the light source is turned off until the fluorescence intensity of phosphor 113a, input via optical fibers 114 and 135, decays to a specific level. For example, measurement unit 132d stores data on the time it takes for fluorescence intensity to decay to a specific level for each temperature, and calculates the temperature corresponding to the measured time by referring to this data, thereby measuring the temperature. Measurement unit 132d outputs temperature data, representing the measured temperature, from port 132c to temperature controller 134.

[0040] After completing the temperature measurement, the measuring unit 132d generates a switching indication signal to indicate the switching of the multiplexer 131. For example, the measuring unit 132d generates the switching indication signal at the end of the temperature measurement. The measuring unit 132d outputs the generated switching indication signal from port 132b to the switching controller 133. Furthermore, the measuring unit 132d may also generate the switching indication signal at a specific point in time after a certain period of light emission decay of the phosphor 113a has elapsed since the light source was turned off.

[0041] The converter 132 receives instructions for the start and end of temperature measurement. For example, the converter 132 receives instructions for the start and end of temperature measurement from the temperature controller 134. When the temperature measurement starts or ends, for example, the temperature controller 134 outputs instructions for the start and end of temperature measurement to the converter 132 and the switching controller 133. After receiving the instruction for the start of measurement, the converter 132 measures the temperature using the measuring unit 132d, and generates and outputs a switching instruction signal at the point when the temperature measurement ends, repeating the above process until the instruction for the end of measurement is received. After the start of measurement is input, the switching controller 133 starts processing the output of switching signals and selection information according to the input of the switching instruction signal, repeating the process until the instruction for the end of measurement is received. Furthermore, the converter 132 can receive the instructions for the start and end of measurement from the switching controller 133, or it can receive the above instructions from other devices. For example, the temperature controller 134 can indicate the start and end of the measurement of the output temperature of the switching controller 133, and the switching controller 133 can indicate the start and end of the measurement of the output temperature of the converter 132 after receiving the measurement start and end indications from the temperature controller 134.

[0042] The switching controller 133 is connected to the multiplexer 131, the converter 132, and the temperature controller 134. The switching controller 133 controls the multiplexer 131. For example, when a switching instruction signal is input from the converter 132, the multiplexer 131 sequentially changes the port number of the output target and outputs a switching signal containing the changed port number to the multiplexer 131. For example, the switching controller 133 is set with a range of port numbers assigned to each of the first ports 131a of the multiplexer 131. Each time a switching instruction signal is input, the switching controller 133 increments the port number of the output target. When the port number exceeds the range of port numbers after the incremented count, the port number of the output target is initialized to the minimum value of the port number range. The switching controller 133 outputs a switching signal containing the changed port number to the multiplexer 131. Furthermore, the switching controller 133 outputs selection information containing the changed port number to the temperature controller 134.

[0043] When a switching signal is input from the switching controller 133, the multiplexer 131 switches the transmission path in such a way that light is transmitted between port 131a and port 131b, which are port numbers included in the switching instruction. In this way, the sensor section 113, which is the object of temperature measurement by the converter 132, is switched, and the area 115 to be measured for temperature is switched.

[0044] Temperature controller 134 is connected to converter 132 and switching controller 133. Temperature data is input to temperature controller 134 from converter 132. Selection information including port numbers is also input to temperature controller 134 from switching controller 133. The port number in the selection information indicates the port number selected by multiplexer 131. Temperature controller 134 establishes a correspondence between the selected port number and the temperature data input from converter 132 and outputs it to control unit 2. The first port 131a of converter 132 is individually connected to the sensor unit 113 of each region 115, so the region 115 for temperature measurement is determined according to the port number. Therefore, the temperature data can be specifically identified as belonging to the region 115 based on the port number. Furthermore, temperature controller 134 can also memorize the correspondence information between port numbers and regions 115. Furthermore, the temperature controller 134 can refer to the corresponding information, select the corresponding area 115 from the port number of the selected information, and establish a correspondence between the selected area 115 and the input temperature data and output it to the control unit 2.

[0045] Temperature data for each zone 115 is sequentially and repeatedly input into the control unit 2. The control unit 2 controls the temperature of each zone 115 based on the input temperature data. For example, the control unit 2 controls the temperature of the heater in each zone 115 in such a way that the temperature of each zone 115 becomes the processing condition temperature based on the input temperature data.

[0046] Here, the plasma processing apparatus 1 refines the region 115 of the substrate support surface 111a in order to precisely control the temperature distribution of the substrate support portion 11. For example, in the example of FIG3, the substrate support surface 111a is divided into 33 regions 115, and it is required that the temperature is measured accurately in each region 115.

[0047] When measuring the temperature of multiple regions 115, for example, consider the following configuration: temperature measuring converters 132 are set up according to the number of regions 115, and each region is connected to an optical fiber 114 to measure the temperature. However, in this configuration, the number of converters 132 increases, leading to higher costs. Therefore, in the plasma processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, each optical fiber 114 is connected to a multiplexer 131, and the multiplexer 131 sequentially outputs the light from the optical fiber 114 to the converter 132 to measure the temperature.

[0048] In the prior art, when the light from the optical fiber 114 is sequentially switched and output to the converter 132 by the multiplexer 131, the switching operation mode is written into the internal memory of the switching controller 133. The switching controller 133 outputs a switching instruction to the multiplexer 131 according to the switching operation mode stored in the internal memory. In this case, the switching controller 133 must have a margin when outputting the switching instruction to the multiplexer 131 for the period when the temperature is measured by the converter 132. Therefore, the switching operation mode determines the switching time point with a margin when the temperature is measured by the converter 132. Therefore, in the prior art, the measurement time is longer. As described above, the plasma processing apparatus 1 refines the region 115 of the substrate support surface 111a. The more regions 115 there are, the more margin there is, and therefore the measurement time is longer.

[0049] Therefore, after temperature measurement is completed, the converter 132 of this embodiment generates a switching indication signal to indicate the switching of the multiplexer 131, and outputs the generated switching indication signal to the switching controller 133. In this way, the converter 132 can quickly output the switching indication signal after temperature measurement is completed. When a switching indication signal is input from the converter 132, the switching controller 133 outputs a switching signal to the multiplexer 131. This allows for rapid switching of the multiplexer 131. As a result, measurement time can be shortened.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the example described is that the measuring unit 132d generates a switching indication signal every time it measures the temperature and outputs the switching indication signal from port 132b to the switching controller 133. However, it is not limited to this. The measuring unit 132d may also generate a switching indication signal after completing a specific number of temperature measurements and output the switching indication signal from port 132b to the switching controller 133. In this case, the temperature of the same area 115 is measured a specific number of times, and the temperature data is output to the temperature controller 134 a specific number of times. The temperature controller 134 can improve the accuracy of the temperature by, for example, calculating the average temperature from the temperature data of the specific number of measurements. Here, when the measuring unit 132d measures the temperature a specific number of times, in the prior art, the switching controller 133 must have a margin corresponding to the specific number of measurements to output the switching indication to the multiplexer 131, so the measurement time is longer. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the measuring unit 132d quickly generates and outputs a switching indication signal after completing a specific number of temperature measurements, thus shortening the measurement time.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the example described is that the measuring unit 132d outputs temperature data indicating the measured temperature from port 132c to the temperature controller 134 after each temperature measurement. However, it is not limited to this. The measuring unit 132d can also measure the temperature a specific number of times and measure the average temperature of those specific times, and output the temperature data indicating the measured average temperature from port 132c to the temperature controller 134. In this way, by measuring the average temperature a specific number of times by the measuring unit 132d, the accuracy of the temperature can be improved.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the case of measuring the temperature of the state being measured has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to this. The object of measurement can be any and is not limited to temperature.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the example described is that the measuring unit 132d outputs a switching indication signal to the switching controller 133. However, it is not limited to this. When the multiplexer 131 has the function of the switching controller 133, the measuring unit 132d can also output a switching indication signal to the multiplexer 131. Also, when the temperature controller 134 has the function of the switching controller 133, the measuring unit 132d can also output a switching indication signal to the temperature controller 134.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is given where the multiplexer 131 selectively outputs light emitted by the phosphor 113a disposed on the object to be measured to the converter 132, and the converter 132 measures the temperature of the object's state based on the input light. However, this is not a limitation. For example, the multiplexer 131 may selectively output an electrical signal representing the state of the object to be measured to the converter 132, and the converter 132 may measure the state of the object based on the input electrical signal.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plasma processing system comprising a plasma processing apparatus 1 and a control unit 2 has been described as an example. However, it is not limited to this. As described above, part or all of the control unit 2 may also be included in the plasma processing apparatus 1. That is, the configuration including the plasma processing apparatus 1 and the control unit 2 of this embodiment may also be regarded as the plasma processing apparatus 1.

[0056] Next, the processing flow of the measurement method implemented by the converter 132 of the embodiment will be described. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the processing sequence of the measurement method of the embodiment. The processing of the measurement method shown in Figure 6 is performed when the converter 132 receives an instruction to start temperature measurement.

[0057] The measurement unit 132d measures the state of the object to be measured based on the signal input to port 132a (step S10). For example, the measurement unit 132d turns on the light source to illuminate the phosphor 113a, and measures the time from when the light source is turned off until the amount of light emitted by the phosphor 113a decreases to a specific level, thereby measuring the temperature.

[0058] After the measurement is completed, the measurement unit 132d generates a switching indication signal and outputs the generated switching indication signal from port 132b to the switching controller 133 (step S11).

[0059] The measurement unit 132d determines whether an instruction to end the temperature measurement has been received (step S12). If no instruction to end the temperature measurement has been received (step S12: No), proceed to step S10 above. On the other hand, if an instruction to end the temperature measurement has been received (step S12: Yes), the process ends.

[0060] As described above, the converter 132 (measuring device) of the embodiment includes a port 132a (input section), a measuring section 132d, and a port 132b (output section). Port 132a is used to input a signal corresponding to the state of the object being measured. The measuring section 132d measures the state of the object being measured based on the signal input to port 132a. After measurement, the measuring section 132d generates a switching indication signal that indicates the switching of the multiplexer 131, which selectively outputs signals. Port 132b outputs the switching indication signal generated by the measuring section 132d. In this way, the converter 132 can shorten the measurement time.

[0061] Furthermore, port 132a can be connected to optical fiber 135, allowing light emitted from the phosphor 113a disposed on the measurement object to be input via optical fibers 114 and 135. Measurement unit 132d includes a light source, which illuminates the phosphor 113a via optical fibers 114 and 135. It measures the time from when the light source is turned off until the light intensity of the phosphor 113a input via optical fibers 114 and 135 attenuates to a specific level, thereby measuring the temperature of the measurement object. After temperature measurement is completed, measurement unit 132d generates a switching indication signal to switch multiplexer 131. Multiplexer 131 selectively outputs one light from the light emitted from the plurality of phosphors 113a disposed on the plurality of measurement objects to the optical fiber. This shortens the measurement time for temperature measurement based on the light from the phosphor 113a.

[0062] Furthermore, the measuring unit 132d generates a switching indication signal at the end of the temperature measurement. In this way, since the converter 132 can output the switching indication signal at the end of the temperature measurement, the measurement time can be shortened.

[0063] Furthermore, the measuring unit 132d generates a switching indication signal at a specific point in time after the light source is turned off, following a specific period of light emission decay of the phosphor 113a. In this way, the converter 132 can output the switching indication signal after the specific period of light emission decay of the phosphor 113a following the light source being turned off, which reduces the margin compared to the prior art and thus shortens the measurement time.

[0064] Furthermore, the measurement unit 132d generates a switching indication signal after each specific temperature measurement is completed. In this way, the converter 132 can quickly generate and output the switching indication signal after completing a specific temperature measurement, thus shortening the measurement time.

[0065] Furthermore, the measuring unit 132d performs a specific number of temperature measurements on the object being measured, and measures the average temperature of those specific measurements. In this way, the converter 132 can improve the accuracy of the temperature measurement.

[0066] Furthermore, the converter 132 also has a port 132c (data output unit). The port 132c outputs data indicating the state of the measured object, which is measured by the measurement unit 132d. In this way, the converter 132 can output data indicating the state of the measured object.

[0067] Furthermore, the measurement system 130 of the embodiment includes a multiplexer 131 and a converter 132 (measurement device). The multiplexer 131 selectively outputs one signal from a plurality of signals representing the state of the object being measured, and switches the signal to be output according to the input of a switching indication signal. The converter 132 has a port 132a (input section), a measurement section 132d, and a port 132b (output section). Port 132a receives the signal output from the multiplexer 131. The measurement section 132d measures the state of the object being measured according to the signal input to port 132a. After completing the measurement, the measurement section 132d generates a switching indication signal. Port 132b outputs the switching indication signal generated by the measurement section 132d. In this way, the measurement system 130 can shorten the measurement time.

[0068] Furthermore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 (substrate processing apparatus) of the embodiment includes a plurality of phosphors 113a, a multiplexer 131, a plurality of optical fibers 114 (first optical fibers), and a converter 132 (measuring device). The plurality of phosphors 113a are respectively disposed at a plurality of positions in the plasma processing apparatus 1 that are the objects of temperature measurement. The plurality of optical fibers 114 are respectively used to transmit light emitted by the plurality of phosphors 113a. The multiplexer 131 is connected to the plurality of optical fibers 114 and selectively outputs one of the plurality of light transmitted along the plurality of optical fibers 114 to an optical fiber 135 (second optical fiber). The light to be output to the optical fiber 135 is switched according to the input of a switching indication signal. The converter 132 has a port 132a (input section), a measuring section 132d, and a port 132b (output section). Port 132a is connected to optical fiber 135, allowing light output from multiplexer 131 to be input. Measurement unit 132d has a light source; the light source is turned on and illuminates phosphor 113a via optical fibers 114 and 135. The time from when the light source is turned off until the light intensity input to phosphor 113a via optical fibers 114 and 135 attenuates to a specific level is measured, thereby measuring the temperature of the object being measured. After temperature measurement, measurement unit 132d generates a switching indication signal. Port 132b outputs the switching indication signal generated by measurement unit 132d. This allows plasma processing apparatus 1 to shorten the temperature measurement time at multiple locations of the object being measured.

[0069] Furthermore, a plurality of phosphors 113a are disposed on the substrate support portion 11 of the support substrate W. Thereby, the plasma processing apparatus 1 can measure the temperature at a plurality of locations on the substrate support portion 11.

[0070] The embodiments have been described above. It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. In fact, the above embodiments can be implemented in various ways. Furthermore, the above embodiments can also be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the patent application.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, the case of performing plasma processing on a semiconductor wafer serving as a substrate W has been described, but it is not limited to this. The substrate W can be arbitrary.

[0072] Furthermore, the measurement system 130 of the present invention can be applied not only to capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) devices, but also to other substrate processing devices. Other substrate processing devices may include inductively coupled plasma (ICP) processing devices, plasma processing devices using radial wire slot antennas, helicon wave plasma (HWP) devices, and electron cyclotron resonance plasma (ECR) devices. In addition to plasma processing devices, the measurement system 130 of the present invention can also be used in various substrate processing devices such as film deposition devices or heat treatment devices.

[0073] Furthermore, it should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. In fact, the above embodiments can be implemented in various ways. Moreover, the above embodiments can also be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the patent application. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0008] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the plasma processing system according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the substrate support section according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration for measuring the temperature of the substrate support surface according to the embodiment. Figure 4A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the sensor section according to the embodiment. Figure 4B is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of the sensor section according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the multiplexer according to the embodiment. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the processing sequence of the measurement method according to the embodiment.

Claims

1. A measuring device comprising: an input unit that supplies light emitted by a plurality of phosphors, each of which is disposed at a position relative to the temperature of a plurality of measurement objects; a measuring unit that measures the temperature of one of the plurality of measurement objects from the light input to the input unit, and generates a switching indication signal at a point when the temperature measurement of one of the plurality of measurement objects is completed, the switching indication signal instructing a multiplexer to switch from the light emitted by the phosphor disposed at one of the plurality of measurement objects to the light emitted by the phosphor disposed at another of the plurality of measurement objects, the multiplexer being configured to selectively output one light from the plurality of light emitted by the plurality of phosphors; and an output unit that outputs the switching indication signal generated by the measuring unit.

2. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein the input unit is connectable to an optical fiber for light emitted from each of the plurality of phosphors to be input via the optical fiber, wherein the measuring unit has a light source, and the measuring unit is further configured to: illuminate the light source and irradiate the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measuring objects via the optical fiber; measure the time from when the light source is turned off until the light intensity of the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measuring objects attenuates to a specific level via the optical fiber; thereby measuring the temperature of one of the plurality of measuring objects; and at the point when the temperature measurement of one of the plurality of measuring objects is completed, generate the switching indication signal; the switching indication signal instructs the multiplexer to switch from the light disposed on one of the plurality of measuring objects to the light disposed on another of the plurality of measuring objects; the multiplexer is further configured to: selectively output one of the light sources to the optical fiber.

3. The measuring device of claim 2, wherein the measuring unit generates the switching indication signal after each specific temperature measurement is completed.

4. The measuring device of claim 3, wherein the measuring unit measures the temperature of the plurality of measuring objects a specific number of times and obtains the average temperature of the specific number of measurements.

5. The measuring device according to claim 4 further includes: a data output unit that outputs data representing the temperature of each of the plurality of measuring objects measured by the measuring unit.

6. The measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input unit is connectable to an optical fiber, allowing light emitted from each of the plurality of phosphors to be input via the optical fiber. The aforementioned measurement unit includes a light source, and is further configured to: illuminate the light source and irradiate the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measurement objects via the optical fiber; measure the time from when the light source is turned off until the light intensity of the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measurement objects attenuates to a specific level via the optical fiber; thereby measuring the temperature of one of the plurality of measurement objects; the measurement unit generates the switching indication signal at a specific time point after the light source is turned off, after a specific period of light intensity attenuation of the phosphor; the switching indication signal instructs the multiplexer to switch from the light of the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measurement objects to the light of the phosphor disposed on another of the plurality of measurement objects; the multiplexer is further configured to: selectively output one of the light sources to the optical fiber.

7. The measuring device of claim 6, wherein the measuring unit generates the switching indication signal after each specific temperature measurement is completed.

8. The measuring device according to claim 1 further includes: a data output unit that outputs data representing the temperature of each of the plurality of measuring objects measured by the measuring unit.

9. A measurement system comprising: a multiplexer that selectively outputs one light from a plurality of light emitted by a plurality of phosphors, and switches the output light in response to an input of a switching indication signal, wherein... The plurality of phosphors are respectively disposed at the positions of the plurality of measurement objects, each light emitted according to the temperature of each of the plurality of measurement objects, and the switching instruction signal instructs the switching from the light of the phosphor disposed at one of the plurality of measurement objects to the light of the phosphor disposed at another of the plurality of measurement objects; and a measuring device having an input unit for receiving the light output from the multiplexer; a measuring unit for measuring the temperature of one of the plurality of measurement objects from the light input to the input unit, and generating the switching instruction signal at the point when the temperature measurement of one of the plurality of measurement objects is completed; and an output unit for outputting the switching instruction signal generated by the measuring unit.

10. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of phosphors respectively disposed at a plurality of positions of the substrate processing apparatus serving as a plurality of temperature measurement objects; a plurality of first optical fibers respectively for transmitting light emitted by the plurality of phosphors; a multiplexer connected to the plurality of first optical fibers, selectively outputting one of the light transmitted along the plurality of first optical fibers to a second optical fiber, and switching the light to be output to the second optical fiber according to an input of a switching indication signal, the switching indication signal indicating switching from the light of the phosphor disposed at one of the plurality of measurement objects to the light of the phosphor disposed at another of the plurality of measurement objects; and a measuring device comprising: an input unit connected to the second optical fiber for inputting the light output from the multiplexer; The measurement unit includes a light source and is configured to: illuminate the light source and irradiate the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measurement objects via the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber; measure the time from when the light source is turned off until the light intensity of the phosphor disposed on one of the plurality of measurement objects attenuates to a specific level via the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, thereby measuring the temperature of one of the plurality of measurement objects; and generate the switching indication signal at the point when the temperature measurement of one of the plurality of measurement objects is completed; and an output unit that outputs the switching indication signal generated by the measurement unit.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of phosphors are disposed on the substrate support portion of the substrate support.

12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the measurement unit generates the switching indication signal each time it completes a specific number of temperature measurements.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the measuring unit measures the temperature of the plurality of measuring objects a specific number of times and obtains the average temperature of the specific number of measurements.

14. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the data output unit outputs data representing the temperature of each of the plurality of measurement objects measured by the measurement unit.

15. A measurement method comprising the step of measuring the temperature of one of a plurality of measurement objects by means of light emitted by each of a plurality of phosphors, wherein, The plurality of phosphors are respectively disposed at the positions of the plurality of measurement objects. Each light system emits light according to the temperature of each of the plurality of measurement objects and inputs it to the input unit. When the temperature measurement of one of the plurality of measurement objects is completed, a switching indication signal is generated. The switching indication signal instructs the multiplexer to switch from the light emitted by the phosphor disposed at one of the plurality of measurement objects to the light emitted by the phosphor disposed at another of the plurality of measurement objects. The multiplexer is configured to selectively output one light from the plurality of light emitted by the plurality of phosphors and to output the generated switching indication signal.

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